The Virginia House Public Safety Committee passed HB961 today in a hearing room that was packed with gun rights supporters…until they were ejected.
As the AP reports . . .
A state House committee on Friday advanced legislation backed by Gov. Ralph Northam to ban the sale of certain semiautomatic firearms, including popular AR-15 style rifles, and silencers and prohibit the possession of magazines that hold more than 12 rounds.
It’s the most ambitious measure proposed by Northam and one that’s met the most pushback, including from members of his own party. Gun owners packed the committee room Friday and erupted in protest when the measured passed. Capitol Police cleared the committee room of almost every spectator after the vote.
The original version of the bill that mandated “assault weapon” owners to register their guns and obtain a license from the state to keep the scary rifles they already own was watered down when it was opposed by some Democrats.
But the bill that was passed in committee in its current form today would ban the sale of so-called assault weapons and suppressors, as well as the possession of magazines over 12 rounds. That’s right…ownership of “high capacity” magazines would be outlawed.
Virginia’s gun-grabbing legislators apparently expect the state’s gun owners to either destroy or turn in their newly-verboten magazines should this bill become law.
As if.
The assembled gun rights supporters in the room didn’t take the vote well.
Here’s a Roanoke Times reporter’s video of the crowd’s outburst after the vote and police clearing the room.
Law enforcement are asking rowdy crowd to leave. People are yelling at cops asking whose side they’re on. pic.twitter.com/NUQpjyBF6Z
— Amy Friedenberger (@AJFriedenberger) February 7, 2020
They’re only letting media stay in the room now to take up the last bill about guns on school property. Northam administration people had to leave too. pic.twitter.com/uSHVM4K9w5
— Amy Friedenberger (@AJFriedenberger) February 7, 2020
This from House minority leader Todd Gilbert:
“House Democrats seem to have learned nothing from the public outcry caused by their proposals. A similar Senate version of House Bill 961 is exactly what prompted the ‘Second Amendment sanctuary cities’ movement across Virginia.” – @cToddGilbert pic.twitter.com/eDmTdhwGY1
— VA House GOP (@vahousegop) February 7, 2020
The Virginia Citizens Defense League’s Philip VanCleave issued this video statement after the committee vote, in which he describes the further steps the bill will have to take to become law (and pronounces it “a monstrosity that cannot be fixed.”)
The bill now goes onto the full Virginia House of Delegates for readings and a vote. An almost identical bill has been introduced in the Senate which will be considered in the Judiciary Committee there in the next few weeks.